Abstaining from Anger
Tap an underlined Tamil word to explore its sound, meaning, and use.
iṇareri tōyvaṉṉa viṉṉā ceyiṉum / puṇariṉ vekuḷāmai naṉṟu
Even after someone causes suffering like contact with many flames, it is good—if one can—to remain free of anger toward that person.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Though men should work thee woe, like touch of tongues of fire. / 'Tis well if thou canst save thy soul from burning ire.”
“Even when thy wrongs burn as the flaming of many fires, it is good if thou canst abstain from anger.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
இணர் எரி தோய்வு அன்ன இன்னா செயினும்= பலசுடரை உடைத்தாய பேரெரிவந்து தோய்ந்தால் ஒத்த இன்னாதவற்றை ஒருவன் செய்தான் ஆயினும்; வெகுளாமை புணரின் நன்று= அவனை வெகுளாமை ஒருவற்குக் கூடுமாயின் அது நன்று.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar preserves both the severity and the qualification: even when another causes pain like contact with a great many-flamed fire, it is good if freedom from anger toward that person is possible. This does not require contact, silence, forgiveness, or surrender of safety and justice.